


DAY 4 - Teamwork

by AirashiSakura



Series: SasuSakuBlankPeriodWeek2021 [4]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Blank Period, F/M, SSBPDay4, SasuSakuBlankPeriodWeek2021, SasuSakublankperiod week, Teamwork
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 13:41:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29172024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AirashiSakura/pseuds/AirashiSakura
Summary: She has changed, Sasuke thought, his fingertips still caressing her cheek. She was the Godaime’s apprentice, after all. She could take care of those who challenged her.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura & Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke
Series: SasuSakuBlankPeriodWeek2021 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2127732
Kudos: 39





	DAY 4 - Teamwork

**Author's Note:**

> Submitted for SasuSakuBlankPeriodWeek2021  
> Prompt - DAY 4 - Teamwork/ "I'll protect you."
> 
> Thanks to Cherryberry12!

Sasuke looked at Sakura curiously, taking in her closed eyelids, her small nose, her slightly parted lips, and a fresh red scar on her right cheek. Like that of a child, Sasuke was amazed to see Sakura sleeping peacefully, resting her head on her left shoulder. Sasuke felt a sense of serenity along with Sakura’s slow, steady, and rhythmic breaths, although he was unsure how his stiff, calloused shoulders could provide any comfort. 

After a grueling fight with some bandits, they had decided to settle down and discuss their next strategies. Although the foes they had faced were confirmed dead by Sakura, Sasuke’s intuition told that there were still more hiding somewhere. 

Sasuke was thrilled to face them because he had been waiting for them to show up for almost a year, saving himself the effort of tracking them down. However, now he was blaming his luck. Of all times, this had to happen when Sakura was accompanying him. 

After they had set the traps, Sasuke got into explaining his next plans to handle the bandits in case they were ambushed. He was so busy that he didn’t notice Sakura had fallen asleep until he felt something resting on his shoulder. He didn’t blame her for tiredness — continuous traveling without proper rest, and an encounter with the missing-nins had exhausted her. Sasuke didn’t wake her up because replenishing her chakra was more important than listening to his strategy.

His fingers gently grazed over the deep long cut on her cheek. He had seen Sakura get that cut while his katana clashed with the kunai of the opponent he had been facing. Although Sakura almost perfectly dodged the barrage of kunais that the nin had thrown at her, one of the kunai had managed to slash her skin — on the very spot where he had kissed her the night before. 

He brushed off the stray pink strands away from her face. She didn’t heal herself, although she healed the bruise on Sasuke’s arm. When she was bandaging his arm, her fingers had touched his skin with the same fervor and gentleness like that of the night before. When Sasuke asked her to take care of her wounds, she shrugged off the topic, saying she wanted to preserve her chakra, just in case they were ambushed again. 

He remembered being furious. He streamed chidori through his katana, temporarily disabling his own opponent so he could help Sakura. When he saw the anger in her green eyes, he stayed where he was. Those were eyes that were different from the ones he’d seen the night before — ones that had been gentle, warm and full of love. 

_She has changed,_ Sasuke thought, his fingertips still caressing her cheek. She was the Godaime’s apprentice, after all. She could take care of those who challenged her. Years of hard work had made her self-reliant, unlike the Sakura he had known from their genin days. 

His facial features turned softer, as his fingers intertwined with her hair, supporting her neck. She had power to shatter mountains and tumble rocks, yet she looked so vulnerable and unguarded now. Sometimes around her, Sasuke found himself mesmerized — admiring her beauty. No wonder she also had shattered his indifferent attitude and tumbled his emotions. 

Sasuke realized that she trusted him completely. Although she knew there was a possibility they would be ambushed, Sakura slept because he was with her. 

Sasuke’s thumb traced a path from her cheek to her lower lip as he promised silently, _I’ll protect you always_. He felt tempted to steal a kiss, but he stopped abruptly when his lips almost brushed hers. 

The corner of his mouth rose when he recalled another moment earlier from the day. Never had he thought they both could work in sync with so few words. He didn’t know how Sakura had managed to read his mind back then. Perhaps the growing trust between them enhanced their teamwork — it was a lesson that he had learned himself when he was a genin.

Sasuke shook Sakura out of her slumber. He already had sensed the presence of nins who had evaded their traps. Sakura rubbed her eyes lazily, but as soon as Sasuke looked at her eyes, she understood.

“Let’s do this, Sasuke-kun.” Sakura slid her gloves back on, energised after her short nap.

“Aah,” Sasuke said, getting off the ground. 

**Author's Note:**

> Did you guys check Tumblr/Twitter for more SS Blank Period contents? If not, hurry now! Also thanks for reading and reviews are appreciated.


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